royal h cycles officially started in 2006, but the origins go back much further...
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...to 1984- the year safety was introduced to the cycling world. and i was there on the front lines. my relationship with bikes began with passive participation, but the seeds were sown...
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...and sewn. from an early age, i can remember my dad's constant battle with the sew up tires he loved; my mom's dilemma on whether or not to convert to index shifting; my uncle's triumph in finding parts for an old peugeot in a pre-internet age where sussing out vintage french componentry was more impressive.
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there was time for a few distractions: cars, dinosaurs, high fashion. but by fourteen i had ridden my first century on a 1979 raleigh grand prix, and begun the long string of hand-me-down bikes and component upgrades that led to the kind of intimate knowledge of bike mechanics that can only come from years of working exclusively with mismatched parts and a budget of zero.
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after formalizing my propensity for machines with a degree in mechanical engineering, i took a big jump and decided to head out west to the united bicycle institute in oregon, where i was going to learn how to build steel frames...
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...and crash cars. the ubi course ended in dramatic form with a totaled car and exactly enough insurance money to get one of these...
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with my henry james jig set up at a friend's shop, i worked hard to land a day job at the legendary seven cycles. it began in the finishing department and later expanded into developing and hand building a line of fully custom carbon fiber frames. it was the first job i truly loved, and i knew i had found my calling in framebuilding. working with custom frames on a daily basis introduced me to levels of aesthetic and technical precision that i hadn't thought possible. in addition, being car-free in boston introduced me to a new form of cycling...
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megacommuting. it may not be a formally recognized term, but after hauling a box containing a complete bicycle on your back across boston during rush hour, you know you're living it. and it feels good. it's about being a part of a greater community of bikers- commuters, racers, messengers, casual riders, diehards- that is recognized with a nod out on the road.
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my desire to design and build bikes was not something that could be confined in an eight hour day, and i soon found myself working nights and weekends on my henry james jig, pouring my soul into bikes of my own. these were the first royal h frames. i have since expanded to a full shop, and honed my skills in designing custom frames for a wide range of people, interests, and functions.
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a little validation from the larz anderson national bike show helps the self-esteem.
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but it all began with a love for bikes.
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